Bringing nature indoors through smart, Bio-Based Textiles
At Studio Ilfa Siebenhaar, we explore how smart textiles and bio-based materials can reconnect us with nature. This design research combines fashion, science, and biotechnology to create sustainable textiles coloured with bacterial pigments.
What if we could use ‘smart textiles’ to bring a piece of nature indoors?
Can bacteria be seen as co-creators when they are the ones producing the pigments and patterns that colour our materials?
Imagine the feeling after a day at the beach; walking barefoot in the sand, feeling light and connected…
At Studio Ilfa Siebenhaar, we explore how design can restore that sense of connection by bringing the essence of nature closer to our daily lives.
The violet yarns in this rug are dyed with pigments produced by living bacteria. These microorganisms naturally dwell around the roots of plants. In between, conductive yarns are interwoven and connected to the Earth’s network. Through colour, tactility and material, you can experience the quiet strength of the Earth by grounding yourself in nature’s rhythm, right within your home.
This rug was showcased during Dutch Design Week 2022 in the pavilion dedicated to Global Well Being at the Klokgebouw.
